


Ghost Story

by marvelfan



Series: Cute First Meetings [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-15
Updated: 2017-04-15
Packaged: 2018-10-19 08:59:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10636611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marvelfan/pseuds/marvelfan
Summary: Steve thinks a ghost lives across from him





	

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my best friend Kristin for editing this for me!

The war was torturous and, readjusting to civilian life was even more challenging, but at least Steve found a good job and a nice rhythm to his life. Ever since returning from the war, Steve has held a job as a tattoo artist, while occasionally painting pictures to get shown and sold in a local art gallery. He makes enough to afford a somewhat nice apartment in the expensive part of Brooklyn, after his honorable discharge from the army he has his sights set on moving back to the city he called home. After all, it brings back all of the wonderful memories he shared with his mom growing up. He thought about going to Manhattan, but it was way too expensive for him. The apartment he lives in is only a twenty-minute walk to the tattoo shop and a thirty-minute ride to the art gallery. He's been living there for roughly two years and has seen people come and go. The only mystery that remains is the apartment across the hall.

For the past four months, Steve has believed a ghost lives in the apartment across the hall from him. He has never seen anyone come in or out, but he’s heard random noises late at night. The noises are never voices, just items clinking and clanking together, the television or radio, and an occasional bang against the wall. No body, no voices and just noises add up to one thing in Steve's mind - a ghost. Or an actual human being that has odd hours and could possibly be deaf or handicapped, the rational part of his mind likes to remind him. But Steve likes to believe it is a ghost, so a ghost it is. He has told Sam, his best friend from the Army, this multiple times and Sam just laughs him off each time, telling him he is crazy and that it’s not a ghost. Steve is determined to prove him wrong.

As much as Steve wants to play detective and catch a ghost, he has to go to his real job first. He has three paintings up for sale tonight at the gallery for their annual fall gala. He's hoping people will be in a charitable mood and buy at least one of them.

\--------

Steve had an amazing night at the gallery, selling two of his paintings for the price of rent for the next six months. He takes the train back to his apartment with a dopey smile plastered on his face, his body practically bouncing up and down from excitement. It was a great night for him and he plans on celebrating by having a beer, taking a bubble bath, and then going to sleep.

When he gets home, Steve drank his beer while running a bath for himself. He might look menacing and could kill a person without them ever seeing him, but gosh darn he loves to pamper himself with bath bombs from Lush and soaking his body in bubbles. Steve stayed in the bath for nearly an hour, his body starting to feel relaxed and ready for bed. Getting out and draining the water, Steve dries himself off and throws on an old pair of shorts and cuddles up under the warm blankets of his bed. He makes sure to send Sam a text about selling his painting and lets him know they are still on for lunch tomorrow before turning his phone off and going to sleep.

Two hours later Steve is lying in bed wide-awake. His mind is racing with excitement from the day and he can't shut his brain off. Usually he would go for a run outside, but it's cold out and he wants to be warm, so he opts to stay in and use the gym in the basement of the apartment building. When he gets down to the gym, he notices a man with dark hair pulled into a bun and a metal arm lifting weights. He has never seen him before in the building, and Steve has made it his business to know or to have at least met everyone. Steve eyes the stranger wearily while walking over to the treadmill. He sets the pace at 10 and runs until his mind goes blank, enjoying the feeling of his muscles burning and not having to worry about anything. That is until he catches the stranger staring at him. He blocks the man from his mind and continues running.

An hour later and Steve is dripping sweat from running at full pace. He towels off and collects his bag to go back to his apartment, get a quick shower and go to sleep. He and the stranger reach for the door at the same time and both nearly punch the other from being scared.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry. You about gave me a heart attack. I forgot you were in here," Steve says, clutching his chest in an attempt to calm his heart rate. On the plus side, this is the first time he's really gotten a good look at the stranger, and good God is he beautiful.

"I'm sorry too, I didn't mean to scare you or almost punch you," the brunet says as he pushes the door open, holding it while Steve walks through.

They both walk towards the elevator, eyeing the other up in silence. Steve is ex-military, it's practically second nature to be cautious of any stranger. Steve pushes the button for the third floor and waits to see what floor the other man pushes, but the other guy leaves it at three.

_Hmmm, interesting…Maybe he's following me. Wait, that doesn't make sense. He was at the gym before me, so how could he be following me. Or he is a sneaky bastard and is following me!_

Steve's train of thought is cut off when the elevator dings and the doors open, indicating he has reached his floor. Without looking, he exists the elevator, but so does the other man. They eye each other up as they walk in the same direction, getting closer and closer to Steve's apartment.

"This is me," they say in unison, giving each other confusing looks.

"Um, I live here," Steve says, pointing at the door that reads 3G.

"And I live here," the other man says, pointing at the door across from Steve's.

Steve is literally at a loss for words right now.

"Hey, dude, are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

It hits him like an oncoming train. "Oh… my…. God… YOU'RE THE GHOST," he exclaims, throwing his hands in the air with excitement.

The other man backs up to his door to avoid Steve's flailing arms. "Uh, the ghost?"

"I can't believe it's you. I never thought I'd figure this out."

"Figure what out, pal? I'm confused."

"Oh, sorry. For the past four months I thought a ghost has been living in your apartment. I've heard noises but never actually anyone talking. And I have never seen you come in or out, so I just assumed you were a ghost." Steve is blushing towards the end, embarrassed now that he’s said his theory out loud to someone other than Sam. He's just about to turn around and hastily open his door when the other man bursts into laughter.

"Shit, pal, this whole time you thought I was a ghost? I can't wait to tell my friend Natasha. She'll get a kick outta that. Just so ya know, I ain't a ghost, I just operate at odd hours. Sorry to burst the mystery around who lives here. Really, though? The past four months you thought a ghost lived in the apartment across from you?"

Steve's face was as red as burning lava from embarrassment. He feels like a complete idiot, but at least the other guy took the news well.

"Um, yeah," he grabs the back of his neck, looking down at his feet. "I know that sounds weird, but I never saw you, so I made up a story about who lives here. This is probably really awkward, I'm going to go. Sorry." If only he had a ditch to stick his neck into like an ostrich and never have to talk to this other guy again.

"No, wait," he reaches out to stop Steve from leaving. "It's fine. I ain't mad or nothin'. I think it's cool you made up an awesome story about who lives here. I'm Bucky, by the way."

"I'm Steve. It's nice to officially meet you," he shakes his hand, noticing the metal one hanging at Bucky's side.

Bucky notices Steve looking at the arm, and mentally prepares himself to give the practiced speech if the blond says anything annoying about it. "Lost it in the war. Not a big deal, pal."

"You're a vet?"

"Sergeant James Barnes, Army's 107th infantry. You?"

"Captain Steve Rogers, Howling Commandos of Special Forces."

"Very impressive, ghost man," his mouth forming a special kind of smirk.

"I am never going to live this down, am I?"

"Nope," he says, popping the "p" while smirking at a blushing Steve.

"This is going to be fun. I would love to talk some more, but I have to get up early for work. Maybe we can grab a coffee sometime?"

"I'd like that. It was good meetin' ya, Cap."

"Ha, you too, Buck. I'll see ya around."

"I don't know about that. I hear I'm kinda ghost-like."

"Jerk."

"Punk. See ya around, Stevie."

"Night, Buck."

Steve is ecstatic having met Bucky and hopefully gaining a new friend. Not to mention solving the mystery of the ghost. All in all, it has been a great day for Steve, and he cannot wait to tell Sam all about it tomorrow at lunch. He hops in the shower and quickly washes off the sweat from the gym. He snuggles up in bed after, never having been happier to finally meet his neighbor and debunk the ghost story, and falls asleep thinking about Bucky's beautiful grey eyes.


End file.
